It doesn’t take much effort to stand over a pot and “stir continuously”, as called for in some recipes. It can be tedious, though, and once a chef stops stirring or leaves a pot unattended, the recipe is sure to ruin.

Enter the automatic stirrer.

With its self-adjusting, self-centering blades, the Ardenté Gourmet Stirrer latches on to the side of most kitchen bowls, and does that stirring for you. The machine’s constant blade-turning protects your milk-based recipes from burning; your sauce-based recipes from charring; and your temperate-sensitive sugars from caramelizing.

An exterminator, dressed in white disposable coveralls, walked to a couch in a north central Indiana home and pulled back a cushion from its frame. His partner, Willie Burt, shined a flashlight into a cloth crevice as Rick Mouser, the senior of the two exterminators, prodded with his pen at the dozens of creatures, all about 1/2-centimeter in size, that were scurrying around in their hidden niche. He plucked one and placed it upside-down in his rubber-gloved hand, poking at it as it pummeled the air with its legs.

“I know it seems like we’ve done a lot more of these fumigations this year,” he said as he scrutinized the insect with one eye. “That’ll be a growing trend for the next few years to come.” The bug was one of thousands the home owner awoke to find. The Peru resident, who asked to remain unnamed, fell asleep on the couch. When he woke up, he found dozens of bites and blood marks on his legs. He originally dismissed the bugs as beetles or ticks, but Indiana Pest Control determined the insects were ones straight from nursery rhymes — bed bugs. He said he would have even preferred fleas.

For the past decade or so, the prehistoric pests have re-emerged as a household nuisance throughout the U.S., experts say, and Kokomo and its surrounding areas are no exception. Kokomo-based Indiana Pest Control, which exterminates insects and rodents around the region, treated 23 homes for bed bugs last year, said J.R. Campbell, the company’s owner. This year, it has had about 100 cases. The number of cases is about one-fourth of the company’s most common infestation, ants. But despite there being no known health problems connected with bed bug bites, he said, the growing problem has caused the company’s clients to be more paranoid.

Ever notice the napkin that comes with your favorite drink always seems to stick to the bottom of the glass? Here’s a little trick to share with your friends. Lift your glass, grab the salt shaker and add a few shakes to your napkin. Finally, your napkin will stay on the table where it belongs!

Aside from the obvious, baby wipes can be used for many other uses. You can clean the dashboard of your car and they won’t leave streaks. They’re great for cleaning up wet paint spots when painting. Use them to remove makeup and they won’t dry out your skin. They’re great for shining up black dress shoes. You can use them to dust furniture and clean hard wood floors. With a quick rubdown you can use them to remove excess hair from pets. They work great on faucets and shower walls to remove soap scum. When you run out of wipes the plastic containers are even great for storing toys, nuts and bolts or any other small items. Hail to the might baby wipe!

It’s about that time again. Time to put the kiddies back in school. Here’s a few tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics that will make this task a bit easier.

MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER

Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.

Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.

Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus.

If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.